FEEDING AND MANAGEMENT OF DAIRY COWS. 357 
to be the motto of every dairy farmer, posted up over the 
barn door, and over the stalls, and over the milk room, and 
repeated to the boys whenever there is danger of forgetting 
it. It is the great secret of success, and the difference 
between success and failure turns upon it. Cows in milk 
require more food in proportion to their size and weight 
than either oxen or young cattle. 
In order to keep cows in milk well and economically, 
regularity is next in importance to a full supply of wholesome 
and nutritious food. The healthy animal stomach is a very 
nice chronometer, and it is of the utmost importance to 
observe regular hours in feeding, cleaning, and milking. 
This is a point, also, in which very many farmers are at 
fault—feeding whenever it happens to be convenient. The 
cattle are thus kept in a restless condition, constantly 
expecting food when the keeper enters the barn, while, if 
regular hours are strictly adhered to, they know exactly 
when they are to be fed, and they rest quietly till the time 
arrives. Go into a well-regulated dairy establishment an 
hour before the time of feeding, and scarcely an animal will 
rise on its feet; while, if it happens to be the hour of 
feeding, the whole herd will be likely to rise and seize their 
food with an avidity and relish not to be mistaken. 
With respect to the exact routine to be pursued, no rule 
can be prescribed which will apply to all cases; and each 
individual must be governed by circumstances, both in 
respect to the particular kinds of food at different seasons 
of the year and the system of feeding. I have found, in my 
own practice, and in the practice of the most successful 
dairymen, that, in order to encourage the largest secretion 
of milk in stalled cows, one of the best courses is, to feed in 
the morning, either at the time of milking—which I prefer— 
or immediately after, with cut food, consisting of hay, oats, 
millet, or corn stalks, mixed with shorts, and Indian corn, 
linseed, or cotton-seed meal, thoroughly moistened with 
water. If in winter, hot or warm water is far better than 
cold If given at milking time, the cows will generally 
give down the milk more readily. The stalls and mangers 
ought always to be well cleaned out before feeding. 
Roots and long hay may be given during the day; and at 
the evening milking or directly after, another generous meal 
of cut food, well moistened and mixed, as in the morning. 
No very concentrated food, like grains alone or oilcake, 
should, it seems to me, be given early in the morning on an 
empty stomach, though it is sanctioned by the practice in 
the London dairies. The process of digestion goes on 
xxxiv. 27 
